Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Abia have demanded inclusion in Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 host community structures and benefits.
They made the demand during an advocacy visit to Chief Maxwell Nwagbara, Chairman of HostCom (Host Community) Producing Oil and Gas, Abia, on Tuesday at Ipu West Community – Owaza in Ukwa West LGA.
Nwagbara is also the Traditional Prime Minister of Ipu West Community.
The visit was led by Mr Eric Ogbuji, the State Coordinator of PIA Advocacy Team, PWDs and Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Ukwa West LGA.
The PWDs who presented their advocacy brief described themselves as legitimate stakeholders who suffer environmental and economic impacts of oil exploration in their communities.
They noted that PIA 2021 provided opportunity for inclusive community development, but PWDs still faced exclusion barriers.
They cited the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Nigeria’s 2018 Disability Act.
They also cited Abia State’s Persons with Disabilities legislation as legal backing for inclusion.
The group made four major demands, including representation in host-community decision-making structures and development planning.
They also demanded equitable access to jobs, skills, scholarships, procurement and other community benefits.
They urged traditional institution to champion the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us” in community development.
Responding, Nwagbara welcomed the PWDs, describing their visit as timely and their demands as legitimate.
He pledged to carry their matter to oil companies and relevant agencies for support and inclusion.
“You are one of us. If we don’t involve you, you will feel cheated and neglected,” he said.
Nwagbara promised to involve PWDs in needs assessment whenever oil companies come for community development planning.
He advised PWDs to pursue education and self-development, rather than relying on sympathy.
Also speaking, Chief Onyemachi Dimgba, Community Development Chairman of Ipu West, urged PWDs not to see themselves as failures.
He urged them to sustain advocacy until their voices were heard and their inclusion guaranteed in PIA benefits.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a non-government organisation, the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities as well as the state disability commission, had built the capacity of PWDs on inclusion in PIA benefits.(
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